To Be an Active Woman in Spreading Peace

Qoriatul Azizah (38) is an example of an active woman assisted by Wahid Foundation. This woman from Sidomulyo Village, Batu, East Java has a myriad of activities ranging from teaching in an elementary school, acting as the chair of the Wahid Foundation’s Dewi Anjani Women's Group, being the founder of Sanggar Sinau Sesuluh, acting as a chairwoman of the Women Farmers Group, working as an organic farmer, and as a make-up artist for brides.

“Women as the spearhead of civilization (having an important role in the family) have to be smart and creative. Women are the ones who give birth to great generations. Therefore, it is crucial for women to be empowered and active, "explained Qoriatul.

Qoriatul's concern is not only about empowering women but also children. This is the reason why this writing hobbyist founded Sanggar Sinau Sesuluh, a studio for tutoring.

"Children are too familiar with television and gadgets so they forget the importance of real interactions with friends. This studio does not only serve as a learning venue but also as a place for children to socialize with their friends," explained the mother who was also the winner of the fashion show competition that was held in early 2018 by the Wahid Foundation at Gandaria City Mall, Jakarta.

Qoriatul has been actively involved in women's empowerment in her neighborhood, but she only experiences the real change when she joined the Wahid Foundation women’s group.

"There is a lot of training sessions that we attend, especially in agriculture. We usually only watch tutorials from Youtube. We are given direct training sessions by the Wahid Foundation and this is very useful, "she explained.

Qoriatul does not only learn about skills but also learn how to address social differences. She admitted, before becoming part of the Wahid Foundation's extended family, the mother of three children only knew about Gus Dur's figure and attitude from books. But now she truly understands and lives by the examples of Gus Dur. "Being different does not mean being an enemy, we should address differences as something natural," she ended firmly.

By: Ester Pandiangan